Heading to Paris in 2026? The Real Cost of Living Like Emily in Paris

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, dreaming of living the Emily in Paris fantasy in 2026? A new study reveals that Emily’s extravagant lifestyle—complete with luxury wardrobes, rooftop cocktails, and a chic central apartment—would cost nearly £100,000 a year, plunging her deep into debt on a real marketing executive salary.

The hit Netflix series Emily in Paris has captivated audiences with its glamorous portrayal of life in the City of Light, complete with chic fashion, fine dining, and picturesque apartments. With season five now streaming—having premiered in December 2025 and shifting much of the action to Rome—the show’s fantasy lifestyle continues to spark curiosity about its real-world feasibility.

A recent study by the digital marketing agency Searchbloom examined how much it would cost to sustain the extravagant habits of Emily Cooper and other fictional characters in marketing, PR, and communications roles, using 2025 salary data from Glassdoor and cost-of-living figures from Numbeo (adjusted for relevance into 2026). The analysis highlights a stark contrast between on-screen glamour and practical finances.

Emily Cooper’s Parisian Dream vs. Reality

As a marketing executive in Paris, Emily’s estimated annual salary would be around £36,727 (approximately €42,000). This falls well short of supporting her depicted lifestyle, which includes a central apartment, frequent dining out, taxis, cocktails, daily coffees, and a wardrobe filled with luxury brands like Chanel and Hermès.

Key annual expenses in Paris break down as follows:

• Rent for an iconic central apartment: approximately £27,545
• Utilities: around £1,973
• Dining out at least twice weekly: about £2,693
• Taxis, twice-weekly cocktails, and daily coffees: roughly £3,718
• Maintaining a high-end wardrobe (including standout pieces like a £44,890 jacket from earlier seasons): an estimated £63,854

In total, Emily’s lavish Parisian lifestyle would cost around £99,783 per year—leaving her roughly £63,056 in debt annually. The study suggests her on-screen spending far exceeds realistic earnings for her role and location.

Season five’s move to Rome exacerbates the gap. As a marketing executive there, Emily’s salary drops to about £30,179 (€34,500), making her expensive tastes even harder to sustain amid Italy’s costs.

Boss Sylvie Grateau’s More Comfortable Position

In contrast, Emily’s boss Sylvie Grateau fares much better. As the owner of her own marketing firm in Paris (following her split from Savoir in the series), Sylvie could earn approximately £84,414 (€96,500) annually. Paris’ average cost of living (excluding rent) sits around £11,107 (€12,692), with central apartment rent adding about £15,564 (€17,785) yearly. This leaves Sylvie with roughly £57,744 in disposable income, allowing her to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle more realistically.

How Other Fictional Marketing Pros Stack Up

The research compared several beloved characters in similar industries, revealing wide salary variations by location and role. High earners often benefit from senior positions or major U.S. cities like New York.

Top earners include:

• Shiv Roy (Succession): £139,405 as a high-level PR professional in New York, bolstered by family wealth despite steep living costs (around £15,478 excluding rent) and a multimillion-pound penthouse.
• Don Draper (Mad Men): £110,181 as an advertising firm director in New York.
• Olivia Pope (Scandal): £98,199 owning a crisis management firm in Washington, D.C.

Lower earners struggle more:

• Schmidt (New Girl): £49,441 as a junior marketing associate in Los Angeles, unlikely to cover his high-end wardrobe and beauty routine alongside the city’s £12,161 cost of living (excluding rent) and £10,051 rent.
• Chandler Bing (Friends): £53,958 as a junior marketing copywriter, with suburban New York homeownership (average around £613,366) adding financial strain.

The full top 10 highest-earning fictional characters in marketing/PR (2025 estimates):

1. Shiv Roy (Succession) – £139,405
2. Don Draper (Mad Men) – £110,181
3. Olivia Pope (Scandal) – £98,199
4. Hugo Baker (Succession) / Mike McLintock (Veep) – £86,936 (tie)
5. Sylvie Grateau (Emily in Paris) – £84,414
6. Jerry Maguire (Jerry Maguire) – £71,200
7. Pete Campbell / Roger Sterling (Mad Men) – £67,452 (tie)
8. Shauna Roberts (Entourage) / Amanda Woodward (Melrose Place) – £65,943 (tie)
9. Nick Marshall (What Women Want) – £65,193
10. Alexis Rose (Schitt’s Creek) – £64,447

Emily ranks near the bottom at £36,727.

What the Numbers Reveal About On-Screen Careers

The study underscores how television often dramatizes marketing and PR careers, portraying them as pathways to luxury that don’t always align with real salaries—especially outside high-paying U.S. hubs like New York or Los Angeles. While inspiring for aspiring professionals, the gap between fiction and reality is clear: Emily’s effortless elegance comes at a steep, often unsustainable price.

This analysis draws from research conducted by Searchbloom (searchbloom.com), which compiled salary estimates from Glassdoor, cost data from Numbeo, and other sources to ground these fictional lifestyles in 2025-2026 economic conditions. Planning a trip to Paris (or Rome) inspired by the show? Enjoy the views—but perhaps leave the Hermès budget at home.

Methodology: 

• Firstly, the study created a list of fictional characters who work in marketing/advertising/PR/ communications.
• The research then obtained data via Glassdoor to determine each character’s average salary in 2025 based on their individual location and job title. 
• The characters with the highest salaries then determined the final ranking.
• The research also used an inflation calculator to determine how much each character would’ve realistically earned at the time when the series/film was set.
• In order to obtain the average cost-of-living in each location, the study obtained data via Numbeo.  
• The lifestyle expenses for Emily in Paris were also obtained via Numbeo.  

Sources: 

• Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Community/index.htm
• Inflation Calculator: https://www.calculator.net/inflation-calculator.html
• Cost of living data: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
• Shiv Roy’s apartment cost: https://nypost.com/2023/01/18/inside-the-building-successions-shiv-roy-will-call-home/
• Chandler Bing’s average house cost: https://www.zillow.com